Eternity Gauntlet - Infinity War Aftermath
by Evan L. Rodriguez
Summary: "When the Mad Titan wiped out half of existence, I didn't think I would be alone in the aftermath. Everyone, my entire home, left void of life. I guess I was just that unlucky - just my luck. I'm all that's left here, at least, I used to think that...and now, we have to save everything...or destroy it."
1. EPISODE 0 - Eternity

The last echoes of the dwarf slaughter still rummaged through the dry hallways of the foundry. In some places they peaked, and in others, they were but whispers. It had been three days since their blood was spilled, yet they were still there, whimpering, begging for the Titan to spare them, begging their king to do something, but he couldn't do anything but watch his people be reduced to husks by the Titan's warriors.

Light spilled from a dwarf's eyes, but when the last of his people fell, Eitri was without that light. His eyes had become dull and grey as he peered down at the dirty plate between his feet. The food atop it was rotted, but his stomach begged for it, at times roaring above the echoes.

The clatter of the metal on metal hurt the deadness of the forge room. It stung for Eitri to try and lift the plate with his ceaselessly clasped hands, entombed by the molten metal the Titan had forced them into. The clang of the dish as it slipped back onto the floor made the dwarf king's mind return again to that fateful day, when the Titan broke his oath, when his people were wiped from existence.

Where was Odin? Thor? The Warriors Three? Eitri was alone, scraping at his dish.

From the ruins and shadows of Nidavellir, a delicately pale hand appeared, lifting the dish from the floor and raising it to the king's lips. It tilted the food into his hungering mouth, and for a moment, he could only focus on the satisfaction of easing his stomach.

"Rest easy now, your highness." A voice came from where the hand was. She set down the dish, and slipped out of the shadows, with her, a man. Their presence was not unfamiliar to Eitri, it was that of gods. However, the feeling of these two was somewhat different. Somehow, they carried more might than even the Allfather — even Thanos.

The woman was dressed in golden threads and a black cape, her eyes faint with a light like that of a red giant. The man was dressed in silver and wore a crown of tall, black horns that refracted the light in scintillating prisms, his eyes a void filled with starlight.

Eitri narrowed his eyes at the strange creatures, they didn't seem real. Their bodies seemed to be one with the place around them, yet, still detached from this reality. The distant starlight that filtered in through the windows gave way to how their skin would splinter the light like kaleidoscopes.

"Who… are… you?" His words were weak.

The woman knelt down before the dwarf, "Tell me, mighty Eitri, king of the dwarves, how was it that _you_ were able to steal away a sliver of Infinity's power?" She asked as the man moved away, his eyes latching onto the many shelves and racks of weapons and materials.

Shattered, melted, cold, left to die with the neutron star at the heart of the foundry. The sight of the ruin seemed to sadden the man, as though there was something he was hoping to see, but it had been long destroyed. He then noticed something near the forge, on a table, a negative of a kind of gauntlet. He moved to it, under the shadow of the lens that once focused the star's light.

Eitri gestured to a canteen of water, left closed as though to taunt him. The woman opened it and let the man drink. Eitri relished the liquid, the small amount that there was. He took a breath, "An old tale, passed down by my father's father… how the Allfather had once stolen from the great being… I only followed the tale… it was a mistake."

The man ran his fingers over the negative, "Beautiful. A magnum opus of dwarven craftsmanship."

"To hell with that!" Eitri barked, kicking the dish across the room. "I should have never made it; never stolen from Infinity!" The dwarf king slammed his fist against the floor, sending a ripple of pain up his arm. He roared and his face crumpled up, teardrops welling on his cheeks.

The woman set her hand on the dwarf's shoulder. There was a warmth that ran through her hand, which seemed to slow Eitri's heart, and focus his vision. "Be still, your highness. Tell us, what is that device's purpose?"

"Why make it, if you denounce it?" The man added.

Eitri looked over to the negative. His gaze was different, empty, hollow and alone. There was nothing but pain running through the dwarf king, and the woman could feel it, as tangible as the stale air. " _He_ made me do it!" He spoke through gritted teeth. " _He_ said they would be spared if I made it for him!"

"He?"

Eitri looked into the woman's fiery eyes, "The Titan, the monster — Thanos, is what he called himself — he forced us to make him a device that could wield the very powers of existence!"

The man and the woman looked to one another with wide eyes. It was as they'd expected, and it was worse than they'd hoped.

"We shouldn't have done it." Eitri was mumbling to himself now. "Where were they!? Where was Asgard?"

"Focus, your worship, the gauntlet." The man said, pulling Eitri back from his wallowing.

"He's mad, the Titan! He thinks he can wield the Infinity Stones! He wanted to wield them… and I gave him that power." Eitri's voice diminished, shame weighing down his tongue.

The woman sighed, "And so, you stole from Infinity to give the Gauntlet such power?"

"Even will the strongest metals in the known Universe, the Stones were too much. Yes."

The man caressed the negative, feeling the way the design could displace the energy of the Infinity Stones to give its wearer the ability to wield them with ease. "Then it is so much worse than we thought." He said. The man moved back over to the dwarf and the woman. "What of the Eternity Stones, does he seek those as well?"

Eitri looked up at the man, his eyes dazed and misty. "The Eternity Stones? Only the Frost Giants whispered of those gems in their ancient, dead languages. How do you know of the Stones which oppose Infinity? Who the hell are you?"

The woman stood and moved to the man's shoulder. "It is because we were there during their birth. For, they made us, and we made them."

Their bodies flashed, and the man's crown became pillars of creation, and his face filled with nebulas and singularities. From his chest burned the light of every star in existence, and his body was the void of space. The woman's golden threads wrapped around her in spirals, and her cape fused to her skin, with the light of her eyes becoming brighter than the surface of a sun, illuminating the foundry.

"We are Infinity, Eternity." They said at once, for they were one, as in the beginning, and for the rest of time.

Eitri leapt up form where he sat, dropping to his knees and bowing before the great beings, his eyes to the floor to keep them from wandering upon their light. "Please, mighty Infinity, Eternity, forgive my blasphemy, forgive me for stealing away your power, forgive me for giving it to that madman!" He begged, and Infinity's eyes drooped, saddened by the man's despair and regret.

She set her hand on the king's head, hushing his sobs. "There is no room for apologies now, especially those which are unnecessary. Rise, mighty Eitri of the dwarves."

Eitri stood, looking in awe at the sight of the two great beings, standing so close to him. For so long, they had only existed in stories. Even when Eitri had gone to the font of Infinity's power did he miss the opportunity to rest his eyes upon her. The beings were far more spectacular than the stories said.

"Tell us, oh great King," Eternity spoke, "can another Gauntlet be forged? One which could wield the power of the Eternity Stones?"

"And let such power fall into another's hands?"

"If Thanos gathers all six of the Infinity Stones, he will be unstoppable. However, if someone else, someone nobler were to collect the Eternity Stones," bright spots of orange, purple, red, yellow, green and blue appeared in Eternity's chest, "they could stand to oppose him." He explained.

Eitri was transfixed as the lights collapsed into the ragged shapes of stones, shining with the powers of the Universe's beginning. He shook his head from the enchanting sight, "It is impossible… my hands… the forge, it is lost."

The great beings looked to one another with a knowing glance. Infinity then rose her hand, and with that, a powerful moan echoed throughout Nidavellir, letting the screams rest. Its rings moaned, tired at having been awoken, and the light that forged the Universe's mightiest weapons spilled forth again.

"You needn't your hands," Eternity said, stepping up to the dwarf, "only assure me you made a mold for the right hand?"

Eitri nodded.

"Good." Eternity said, and he and the dwarf went to the forge, while Infinity preserved Nidavellir's life as they worked.

Eitri chose the last of his strongest metal, melted down by the heat of the star into a glowing liquid that the great being dispensed into the cast of the Gauntlet. As the metal set, the three could feel the Universe's energy flowing through the foundry up into the Gauntlet, focused and seemingly infinite. And, once released from the mold, it spilled forward an immense, uncontained light, the very fabric of space and time and all of existence, so powerful that the entire facility trembled.

Infinity lifted the Gauntlet to her brother, and from his arm, he tore a sliver of his very essence. He stretched the strand into a sparkling, undulating cord of his power and his life force. He wrapped the string around the wrist of the Gauntlet and it melted away into the metal, imbuing it with a stainless, shimmering, silver hull.

The light faded, and the forge stopped trembling. The Eternity Gauntlet was complete, awaiting its Stones.

Eternity took the Gauntlet and slipped it inside his body, where no one could even try to take it from him, should they run into trouble. "I can already feel the power of the Stones being drawn by its gravity." He noted.

"What will you do with it?" Eitri asked.

"We will take it to a place where it can be near the Eternity Stones, on the edge of the Universe opposite where the Infinity Stones were born." Infinity explained.

Eternity nodded, looking out over the reaches of space through a window. "A place of heroes, and humility."

Eitri spat on the ground, "Then I hope whoever finds it gives that bastard Titan hell."

Infinity chuckled, and Eternity seemed to smile. "Whoever so wields this device will be worthy. They will strike a fear into his heart, a fear unknown to Thanos." Infinity said.

"A fear which will make him question why he brought the Infinity Stones together, should that come to pass. A fear that will incite doubt, a fear that will incite a change, a fear that may just stop a war." Eternity said, pride in his voice.

"Are you certain it can be done?"

Eternity and Infinity looked at one another knowingly.


	2. EPISODE I - Winter

It's been a month since the White Light. I try to forget what happened after, but the more I block out the memories, the more real they become again.

All around me, I could hear a _snap_ , and then there was a white light that consumed everything. I was never a heavy sleeper, so as soon as that sound echoed through the sky, I was awake for the flash. My mother was the first one I saw go. We lived in a small apartment close to downtown. I haven't gone back since it happened to her, since I saw her fade away into ashes.

I ran out into the street, calling like a madman for help, but the thing was, there was no help to come. Everyone was gone, the entire city, just gone.

There were a few days before the TVs went offline, and I watched as the world descended into chaos. People in power, police, military, all of them reduced to nothingness, leaving people to scatter, confused, angry, terrified. There was violence, anarchy, and soon, when it seemed everything was coming to a head, the TVs went silent, and I was left alone.

When the Mad Titan wiped out half of existence, I didn't think I would be alone in the aftermath. Everyone, my entire home, left void of life. I guess I was just that unlucky — just my luck really, to be left alone.

Now I wander the derelict husk of my home, scavenging and trying to survive, dodging the interlopers as best I can. It didn't take long for aliens to realize that the Earth's mightiest heroes were gone, and we were vulnerable. I used to have undying faith in them, the Avengers, I mean. I guess that was misplaced.

I try to avoid places where people would have been. I can't stand the sight of those ashes, all of those people just… gone. I stick to the grocery stores and convenience shops. I'd say I've built up an impressive cache.

There's a plus side to all of this, though, if I'm even allowed to call it that. I've seen a lot more animals since the Light, and they make things seem rather peaceful.

With more and more interlopers showing up, I decided that morning that I needed to arm myself. Until now, I'd only been defending myself with a souvenir hatchet I got from one of the tourist shops. So, I decided to make my way to the gun range, there had to be something with enough firepower to pierce the interlopers' armor.

I was just a kid during the Battle of New York, so I didn't actually think I would ever get to see aliens in my lifetime. And, when I did, I was hoping they weren't going to be trying to kill me.

I'd tried before to hotwire a car, but I learned really fast that the interlopers can easily track vehicles. So, when I'm out and about, I try to lie low. I hope that, near the town's outskirts, where the gun range is, there will be less interloper activity.

I'm flat-footed, a lot of people in this town were, actually. We were a town of giants, almost every man in the city was six-foot-plus, and the women were more often than not breaching five-eleven. As some may know, tall people usually have flat feet.

What I'm getting at is: the ten mile walk sucked. No matter how much walking I've done, and how much exercise I've gotten in since I've been on my own, that doesn't stop my feet from wanting to give out. Every couple of miles, I rest under s tree, facing away from the road, it's even better if it's on the border of the forest; the interlopers stick by the roads. I rest for thirty minutes, letting the bones in my feet settle, and then I'm on my way again.

The town is landlocked, surrounded by mountains on all sides like the Great Wall, but covered in snow most of the year. So, it's not like I can just hop in a car and speed away, and even if I could, there's nowhere to go. Only way out is over or around the mountains, and that means flying or taking a boat out, neither of which I know how to do.

I come to the gun range. Well, I more stumble upon it, as I really only had an estimate of where it was, but it stuck out well enough against the brush. The neighborhood was too familiar. One of my friends lived right across the street from the range, and, if not for the trees parting each of the houses, I probably would be able to see it. No matter how much I want to, I'm glad I can't. It would hurt to much to remind myself again that he's gone… which I just did.

I sigh and push open the range's doors. I'm surprised they're just left open. Most places I've gone into have been locked because it was the middle of the night, but this place? Guess not. We're also a town of hunters, so if I was to trust any establishment to leave its doors open, it's this one, cause at least we'll know how to use the merchandise.

The place is dusty, what else would I expect? I am a bit surprised that the interlopers haven't raided the place though. They must not come out this far, like I thought. Not like they need human weapons anyway.

As I'd expect, the place looks pretty untouched, just closed down for the night probably. A sign reading "Archery Club & Shooting Range" was hung above the counter, where various firearms were on display in a glass case.

I said we were also a town of hunters, well, I'm not. The only time I've ever held a gun was when we had to get our gun safety training in sixth grade. I'm technically licensed, and I know all of the rules, so I don't doubt I can use a gun, I just don't know how to distinguish between all of the ones in front of me right now.

I pull out my hatchet, and, with the blunt end smash open the glass. I realise now that I could have just walked around the counter. Either way, I reach for the shotgun and open it up. It's unloaded, which not only doesn't surprise me, but it relieves me too. I would hope the owners didn't keep loaded weapons just lying out in the open!

I slip the shotgun between my back and backpack and grab out one of the pistols. I guess I could just infer that this one's not loaded either, but to be safe, I check anyway. I shove this one's muzzle into my pocket. These should be good enough.

I look about. From the windows, the sunlight of the dawning summer reflects off the broken mess I made. The trees sway gently, quietly. The world feels so quiet. This place was quiet before, but this quiet is empty. There's no people. Good thing I didn't like a whole lot of them. None, really. Except Winter.

 _Goddamnit!_ I hiss at myself. _Get yourself together._ I can't think about him right now, I need to find ammo and get out of here. The interlopers could find me if I sit in one place too long.

I go over to the shelves of ammunition, sifting through all of the boxes until I find the right kind. It would help if I knew the first damn thing about guns.

I'm not looking long, because I hear a rippling boom run over the sky. I drop to the floor, scrambling up against the shelf under the front window of the shop. It was an interloper glider, I know the sound all too well. Guess they do come out this far.

The sound comes around again. Are they looking for me? Maybe they have, like, a routine. Maybe they just go around the whole town, everyday, on the lookout for people, for me. They have to be looking for me, I'm the only one here!

The sounds of the glider are more relaxed now. They're close, I can feel the rumble of their anti-grav technology pulsing through the ground. I have to see how close they are. I'm gonna have to make a run for it and come back for ammo later.

Carefully, I turn and lift my head out over the shelf. The light hits my face from the windows. There's a blur in my vision, so I push up my glasses to correct it. I feel my breath halt when I see them. Two interloper gliders, manned by one each, which is a relief.

They're gargling something to each other, they must not be able to see me. Maybe I can sneak out through the back, and make escape into the forest from the range.

I wait for the interlopers to finish their gargling, I need to make sure they aren't going to come for me. One of them has one of those spears that they carry, the ones that shoot bolts of energy, or plasma, or whatever. I couldn't care less what they shoot, just that I'm dead if I get hit. I almost died the last time I got hit with one of those. My leg didn't heal properly either.

The one with the spear garbled something, and the other flew off. I ducked back behind the shelf to make sure neither of them spotted me. What if they already have? What if the other one's going around back to corner me?

There's no time to wait and find out, because when I look back outside, I see the alien approaching the building. He spots me immediately, _fucking idiot!_ It lifts its spear-staff-thing and fires a blue pulse at the window, I drop to the floor as the window explodes from its frame in pieces. I cover my ears as the creature roars, probably saying something like: "I'm gonna kill you, human," or whatever aliens say when they're about to kill you.

Well, I'm not going to give him — her? can they be girls? whatever — I'm not going to give _it_ the chance to. I jump off the floor and make for the doors to the gun range. I hear the electric charge of the staff, and another bolt spits into the rom, slicing the counter in half.

I duck out of the way of another shot and push through the door leading to the outdoor range. The other one is waiting for me, its weird, skeletal face roaring in mine as it pulls a large, golden blade from its belt and swings it at me. I duck, clearing the creature's reach as the blade strikes the stone wall.

It wrenches the blade from the wall and takes another swing at me. There's nothing but instinct to it as I grab out my hatchet and swipe at the interloper's stomach. I'm able to make contact and tear the cloth of its armor. By now, I've learned the weak spots of their armor, the stomach, upper legs, which are covered by only cloth, and arms, which are, stupidly, completely exposed.

The alien recoils and then goes in for another swing, but I parry and aim for its underarm. It anticipated that though, I guess, because it moves so that my hatchet is caught in its armor. I'm able to pull myself free as it lunges at my chest.

I fall backwards onto the hard, dry dirt. I feel a fuzziness run through my head, but I don't have the time to deal with it. The interloper plunges its blade toward my face, but I roll out of the way out into the grass.

I get up and swing my hatchet back without even thinking and I catch the alien by the neck. It screams in pain, stumbling back as its blue blood spurts out into the air and onto the ground. It stains the end of my hatchet, but I don't have the kind of time to admire my handiwork. I make a dash for the forest.

One of the gliders comes out over the shop and descends onto the other alien. They screech words to each other, and the injured interloper hops on.

They fire blue bolts at me, making the dirt and grass around my legs explode as they desperately try to hit me, but I'm no easy prey. I've got practice.

I spot a ditch just ahead and duck down inside, two more bolts landing just a few inches from my face as the glider zips past. The injured one roars and knocks on the pilot's shoulder. The pilot gives it its staff, and he starts shooting at me.

I get up and make for the shop, it's kinda the only way I can go now. They spin around, and now there's three streaks of blue trying to blow me up. I'm too exposed this way. _Make like a rabbit, make like a rabbit!_ I remember the technique that I figured out a couple weeks ago.

I shift my feet and run in a zigzag pattern back to the shop, which throws off the aliens. I can tell because the one with the spear stops shooting because he can't get a clear shot.

Bolts from the glider strike the door frame of the shop as I slip back inside, that part of the ceiling collapses, but I can only ignore it. I need to get to the trees across the street, they can't track me in the forest. I need to get to the trees!

The glider drops back down into the road, the aliens gargling something at me. _Shit_ , there's nowhere for me to run. The injured one trains the spear on my head and I seize up, I can't believe this is how I'm going to die!

There's a huge crash as something plows through the aliens, sending them to pieces across the street. It takes me a moment to realize that they just got smashed by a big, white truck, which is now a little blue on the hood.

"Get in!" Hearing another person's voice is what throws me off at first, but when I look from the truck to its driver, my eyes widen. I can't control it, it just happens, and I'm back at graduation.

Graduation was the day it happened, when the Light came, all of my friends and I had made plans for the coming weekend, but then they all vanished, obviously. At least, that's what I thought.

I see him, standing up on that stage. I didn't admit to him that I had gotten a little teary eyed to see him up there, to see him so ready for the world. The subtle glint in his slate blue eyes as we all cheer when his name is called. I know they say not to cheer, but I was willing to break that rule for him. He was smiling, and it wasn't that smirk he gave as an excuse for a smile, it was his real, genuine smile. Big and goofy, but I loved it, because it was him.

"August?" His voice snapped me out of the memory. He's just as shocked to see me. He looks me over for half a second, confirming that it is me. "Get in the car!" He shouts, almost as a command. I don't hesitate, I run around the back of the car and jump into the passenger seat.

* * *

Winter doesn't take the turn down the street to his house, which makes sense. He just keeps on the road, driving to I-don't-know-where. He doesn't say anything either, I'm just here staring at him.

I can't believe it's him, I can't believe he's alive. His strong jaw was lined with subtle stubble, although he normally liked to keep up with shaving. I guess I myself have got some hair on my chin now, too. It's not like I've had much time to shave anyway, the same is probably true for him. His dark brown hair, peppered with strands of gray that have been growing since he was sixteen, and his fair skin caught the light in a way that he's practically glowing. He was always like that. Even on rainy days, he was glowing, at least, to me. And, of course, those slate blues. Set and determined, like they always were. Everything was here, all of the best parts, and the worst parts too, like the coarse scar on his arm he got from a fight with a bully when he was thirteen. I can't believe it's him.

His eyes twitch in my direction. I look forward, completely unsubtly, but he snickers a little. I can see in the rearview mirror that he's catching looks at me too. I wonder if he's looking at me the same way I just was. Probably not. He never did — never will.

He doesn't see my scraggly brown-blond hair, or my autumn-leaf green eyes, or pale skin the same way I see everything about him. Looking at me doesn't make his heart race, it doesn't relieve all of his stress or worries. I'm just me. And me's doing that annoying, teeth-clacking thing me does when he's nervous.

"You been workin' out?" are the first words he says to me in ten minutes of driving.

I'm a little vexed. I don't know where he gets the idea that I've been able to frequent a gym or anything. "Uh, no. Just been… running from aliens a lot, and stuff." "And stuff" is what I say when I feel like I should say more, but I'm too nervous to think, I'm too freaked out to think. Winter's alive! My best friend is alive! Of all the people I could have hoped to still be around, it was Winter.

"Oh, guess that explains it, yeah." He says, his gaze is focused on the winding road. I catch a glimpse of a street sign, he's bringing us back to town.

He doesn't look much different. Winter was always one of those really thin guys that, if you caught them without a shirt, you'd see they could probably take a punch or two. At least, that's how I've always pictured him shirtless in my head. I really shouldn't think about my best friend shirtless.

"You… haven't shaved." I note, stupidly.

"You either." He replies, and I give a squeamish smile. I knew that. "I can't believe it." He says, almost under his breath. "I can't believe you're okay. I thought I was the only one."

"Yeah, me too."

"Why didn't you try to call or text, or somethin' when telecommunication was still up?" He asked me. It was odd to hear him seem genuinely concerned for me. Usually I had to do that.

"I kinda left the apartment and never went back after… _it_ happened."

He sighs, "I'm just glad you're okay. You thirsty, I have water in the back seat."

"No, I'm good."

There's a pause between us. We normally can't stop talking, but considering that we watched our families disintegrate and have been dodging killer aliens for a month, it's kinda hard to keep a conversation going when your heart's beating in your throat at a million miles an hour, worried that more aliens are going to show up.

"Thanks for running those aliens over, by the way." I finally say.

He chuckles, which always has a way of making me smile. "Granted, I didn't even see you, I just hate those mother fu-" he stops, he's not much of a curse-er, "things."

I smile at his own censorship. "Yeah, they're a pain in the ass, but now you got a sweet paint job." I joke, patting the dashboard. There's alien blood on the windshield too.

He laughs, "Not my favorite color, but it works." He flashes me a smile, and I know it's still him, it's still Winter, that jokester, my best friend, he's still got that warmth. "So, what were you doin' at the range anyway, Gus? Why would you come all the way out here?"

I grab at my backpack in the back seat, "I was getting weapons. I haven't really been doing too hot lately against the interloper, so I decided nabbing some guns would be my best shot."

He chuckles at my unintended pun, and then his face goes stark, "Interlopers?"

"The aliens: that's what I call them." I explain, and he nods in understanding.

"Still, that was really dangerous. You could've been killed." He doesn't say that in a chastising manner, he never talks like that. It was more concerned than anything, and a little impressed.

"Well, I had you with a huge truck to save me, so I guess it worked out." I say lightly. Around Winter, I try to keep a light mood, I never want to do anything to bring him down, especially now.

It seemed to work, he smirks. "Well, not gonna have her for long, 'cause we're outta here."

I raise my brow, "What? How? Why?"

His teeth flash at my distraught, he always found amusement in my vexation. "Don't worry, I've had this plan going for, like, two weeks. I guess, now that you're here, this is the best time to do it."

I roll my eyes, "Again: what? How? And why?"

"Why? 'Cause this place is the worst place to be. How? I hotwired a boat."

"You hotwired a boat?" I wasn't asking out of surprise, he hotwired his dad's car once and we drove out the road for the Fourth of July. He probably hotwired this car. "Why haven't you left yet, then?" That was my real question.

"I needed to figure out the aliens' routine first. Mid-afternoon's when they move out toward the outskirts, so now's the perfect time." I could see the cogs in his head moving. Winter was creative, smart, a little stupid, but still creative and smart. I knew before he kept going that he had it all figured out. "It's one of those little fishing boats that move really fast. We're gonna take it straight outta the northwestern channel." He explains.

I already like the sound of this plan, not just because it's Winter's, but because it works, at least, in theory. "But, where are we going?"

"We're goin' to the mine."

"The mine?"

"Yeah. They got a telecommunications tower there, and maybe people. We can get help there."

I smile. I want to tell him how absolutely brilliant he is, how much of a genius he is, but I refrain. "That's a pretty good plan."

He opens his mouth to say something, but I don't hear what it is over the explosion. The car seemed to jump into the air, but it's more of a being-thrown motion. It capsized and my head slams into the roof. Everything goes fuzzy again, and I can feel hot blood trickling off of my head.

Winter's voice is echoing faintly in my ears, he's already out of the car. I'm too numb to feel him dragging me out of the wreckage, wrapping his arms around me as he unbuckles me so I don't fall, and pulls me to the treeline.

The smell of the fire from the car is the first thing that hits my nose as I start to come to. Everything is blurry, even as I try to blink my eyes clear. My glasses, they're gone.

Winter sets me up against a tree, he's got my backpack and the shotgun. He's also got his own bag with him. I really hope it has ammo in it.

He uses a rag to wipe the blood off my face, and then produced my glasses. He rests them on my face and pushes them up.

"Hey, bud," his voice echoes in my ears, "come on, Gus, we gotta get movin', the boat's not that far."

I can't say anything, but he somehow knows to just pick me up and start dragging me. My feet eventually start to move on their own, but we can't move very fast while I'm out of it. _Christ, I'm useless._

Another shot screams through the air, making the truck completely explode into shrapnel as a pair of gliders comes down at us. I guess they changed up their routine.

Winter starts running, and it seems that shot woke me up, because now I'm running, and he doesn't need to hold me up anymore. He points ahead of us, I can see the docks where all the town's families kept their boats. I can't really understand what he says, I think one of my eardrums is blown out. I don't know, my ear hurts like a bitch though. I can infer though that that's where we're going.

He pulls the shotgun free, directing it at one of the gliders. I try to warn him before he pulls the trigger and nothing happens.

Winter gives me a look.

"It's not loaded." I say simply over my heavy breaths. My flat feet are starting to ache from all of this sudden, hard running.

He rolls his eyes, "You have got to be shitting me!" He actually cursed, I'm a little flustered at hearing it, but I stop caring when another bolt splatters a nearby car.

Winter put the shotgun back and pulled a box of ammo out of his bag, thank Christ.

We duck behind a car and he shoves the box into my stomach. "What do you want me to do with this?"

He groans, "Use _these_ , to load _that_!" He presses his finger into the pistol grip sticking out of my pocket. He then stands, looking out over the parking lot that sits on the hill above the docks. The alien gliders are coming in hot. Winter looks back at me, "I'll go get the boat set up, can you cover me?"

"Of course!" I say without hesitation, even though I have no idea what the hell I'm going to do with a pistol against a pair of alien gliders. I'd be better off with my hatchet, I can aim with that.

He starts down the stairs to the docks, dodging a bolt like it's second nature.

A bolt comes for me, and I jump out of the way as the car bursts into flames. I duck behind another. Trembling, I pull the gun from my pocket and open it up. Another bolt grazes the hood of this car, and I jump, dropping the pistol. I scramble to open the box, but my hands are shaking too much, so I just rip it open. I don't even care that the bullets are all over the asphalt now.

The pistol's a revolver. I only realise that as important now because can't get these damn bullets into the chambers!

I manage to slip one in and close the gun back up. I pull back the hammer, and the gun is ready to fire. I pull myself up onto the hood of the car, using it to steady my arms as I take aim at one of the gliders. I know I can't shoot the glider itself, that's stupid, I have to hit the pilot. I aim the barrel at his stomach, I can't screw this up. I have to breathe, I'm shaking too much. I have to breathe, I need to do this for Winter.

The bullet leaves the chamber and peels through the alien's stomach, punching out of his back in a blue burst. The glider screams as its pilot goes limp and it spirals into the ground.

I recoil at the explosion, and while I'm on the ground, I might as well reload. I can do it faster this time, but when I come up to aim, the alien's already jumped off his glider and lands on the car hood.

It kicks me in the face with the steel edge of its boot, and my head hits the asphalt. I'm not going fuzzy-headed again, I can't. I shake my head clear as the interloper jumps down and stamps its foot into my stomach. The impact summons blood from my lungs. I'm gonna kill this bastard.

It grabs me by the shoulders and throws me against the railing on the edge of the hill. It hurts, a lot, I haven't hurt this much since Sammy Jones beat me up, granted, the slurs he called me hurt more in the long run.

I pull out my hatchet as it goes in for another swing, bringing its wrist right into the blade. It pulls back, taking my hatchet with him. This is the perfect opening, I don't even try to aim, I just point the gun and shoot. _BOOM._ It's insides are outsides.

I let go of my breath, gasping like I was just being drowned, my heart punching against my diaphragm. I wipe the blood from the corner of my mouth, it's hot and sticky when mixed with my sweat. I can't move. If I move, I'm scared another will pop out and attack me.

"August!" Winter exclaims. He sounds terrified, he looks terrified. He rushes up to me. "Come on, bud, you're okay, right?" He asks, more to himself, pressing his hand against my cheek to make sure I'm still warm. I am, obviously, and I'm obviously still breathing, but he had to be sure, and I'm glad, because I don't even know if I'm alive.

I open my mouth to say something, and he looks on with anticipation. "That was the scariest fucking thing in my entire life." He laughs, relieved that I still have my humor about me. Although, I'm being a little serious. "Please don't leave me like that, again. At least until I know how to load a gun."

He chuckles, flashing those perfectly crooked, off-white teeth. "Okay."

"Please?"

"Okay." He's more sincere. His face is perfectly framed in front of mine. I hear a voice rise up from my chest, _I could kiss you right now_ , but I have to refrain, now's not the time. No time is the time. I wish there was a time.

He takes my hand and pulls me off the ground, "Come on, Gus, we gotta get outta here before more show up." I'm still a little out of it, my eyes are dropping, and my glasses are teetering at the edge of my nose.

Winter pushes up my glasses and goes over to the alien. He pulls my hatchet out of its wrist and then scrounges up all of the bullets. He puts both in my hand and pats my shoulder before returning back down to the dock.

I look at the alien's body, I killed it. _I_ killed it. Why do I feel terrible? It tried to kill me. But, it was just trying to survive, like me. Granted, it had no business being on Earth. _Why do I feel this way? It's-it's a monster!_

"August!" Winter calls up from the boat, breaking me from my introspection. I shove the bullets in my pocket and replace my hatchet.

The boat is just how Winter described it, one of those small fishing boats that can go fast, and it goes fast. We clear the dock in five minutes and are out of sight of the city. We don't say anything as we leave, I just slump over into one of the benches while Winter steers.

I look up at him. I can't believe it's him. My best friend. My first and only love. And he just saved the day. Winter is here, the only person in the world I could have hoped for.

I sit across from him at the helm. He hails it like a true captain, that big, prideful smirk on his face. The sun is shining behind him, making his hair glow gold, but his face still shines brighter. I feel myself dozing off, my last thought: _He looks good with facial hair, he should grow it out._


End file.
